Frivolous Pleasures
by siria raine
Summary: SLASH! In between fifth and sixth years, Remus pines for Sirius.
1. Chapter One

Frivolous Pleasures

**Disclaimer:** All of these characters are © J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic, and Warner Bros. Entertainment.  Not me.  Therefore, I plead you not to sue me, as I am currently a…struggling artist, if you will.

**Author's Notes:** While on vacation on Sanibel Island, I came up with the idea for a fic where Remus is on vacation in Cannes, France.  Remus misses Sirius, to whom he has not proclaimed his love, and Sirius is lost in a world of 15-year-old hormonal lust.  It shouldn't be too many chapters, as it spans only the summer between fifth and sixth years and the Marauders' sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  And please excuse my absolutely _abysmal_ French.  I don't speak the language, and my French-speaking beta isn't speaking to me.  siria raine

Chapter One

_When you screamed_

_I'd fight away all of your fears_

_I held your hand through all of these years_

**_But you still have_**

**_All of me._**__

_-evanescence_

Remus sat on a stone bench, his thoughts swirling about him like the waters laid out splendidly in front of him.  The fifteen-year-old brunet's eyes were slightly clouded, lacking their magnificent golden light.  Moodily, he narrowed his eyes against the bright sunlight glinting off the water. 

A slight breeze lifted up his gleaming hair, which had grown so long his mother gave it a disdainful look every time she saw him.  It swayed roguishly about his face, giving him the look of a man on the edge of insanity.  His eyes were mad as he stood over the stone wall erected to keep him from falling into the choppy Riviera.  "Au revoir, France."

Lifting up his arms like a cross, he prepared to fall directly into the deathly waters. 

He was on the tips of his toes when a strong arm wrapped itself around his waist and pulled him back.  "Just _what_ do you think you're doing?!"

Remus let out a perfectly audible groan.  "What does it look like, Romulus?"

"Well, mon cherie, it _looks like_ you're jumping off the bridge."  He guided his twin brother down, off the granite wall.  "But I know any kin of mine wouldn't do that." 

"Mind your own business, _brother_."

"Now, now, now.  We can't have that kind of nonsense.  You know very well I'm incapable of doing that.  As are you--considering we're technically...the same person."

Remus glared up at his fraternal twin.  "Vous me connaissez trop bien.  But  you also know I'm not to be stopped."  He walked ahead a bit.  "As are you, unfortunately for me." 

And with that, he set out at a run for the large summer house.

Laying out on the Potters' lawn, Sirius looked up at the perfectly clear sky.  Not a cloud scudded across its blue surface, so calm it was as if earth was at a standstill.  His senses were awakened by James, calling him from the spacious porch. 

"Siri! This is great.  Come look at this!" Sirius slowly pulled himself up on the lush grass and stood to go to his friend.  He found James standing on the porch of the large Victorian, a pair of binoculars pressed to his bespectacled eyes.  Sirius rolled his smoky eyes emphatically when he saw where the black-haired boy was looking.

Next door to the Potters' Victorian estate laid a similar home held by the beautiful and vivacious Emma Hamilton.  Sirius noticed the binoculars were trained at her bedroom window, and could gather James had bewitched the lenses to filter gauzy fabric that lined those panes of glass. 

"James, you're such a pervert."

"Am not!" he replied indignantly, looking offended as he pulled the binoculars from his face.  "I was just—" He readjusted his pants slightly, causing Sirius to chuckle.  "—Looking."

"You look like you've been wearing a monocle and I've never seen the crotch of those pants pulled more taut." 

James blushed.  "Well…er…"

Sirius laughed out loud, rather like a bark.  "Don't lie to yourself, Jamie.  You know as well as I do—"

"Fuck you, Sirius Black!" James said, sidling towards the stairs that led to the lush green yard.  His blue eyes were gleaming and hair seemed more tousled than usual.  His erection had calmed slightly, Sirius noticed, but his jeans were still pulled _awfully_ tight.  "If you want to take something up with me, you'll have to catch me first!" With that last remark, he took off at a run towards the broom shed where his Comet Two Sixty lay dormant. 

Sirius looked up toward the still-cloudless sky, his shoulder-length raven hair falling back.  "Oh, what the hell." 

His long legs took the steps two at a time and raced after James.

He wasn't six feet from said broom shed when the messy-haired brunet shot out like a rocket on his old broom.  "Catch me if you can, Padfoot!"

"That isn't fucking fair! The only other broom is a…what, a Cleansweep 4? It's ancient!"

"Early bird gets the worm, my fair Sirius!" James called from the sky where he was soaring delightfully. 

"I'm going to set you right, Jamie!" Sirius pulled out his wand with a flourish.  "ACCIO BROOMSTICK!"

He immediately regretted saying that, for he remembered how terrible his depth perception was.  The broomstick zoomed toward him with an incredible velocity, knocking him backwards off his feet.  He sat up just in time to see James Potter hurtling downward, faster and faster until he landed with a _thump_ in the bushes below.  "_JAMES!"_

Sirius rushed over to where James had landed.  He found his friend spread-eagled on the brambles, his glasses askew and eyes shut tight.  James's _Journey_ shirt was torn in several places, the olive green tinged with deep scarlet.  Sirius's smoky eyes darted all over the body, unknowing, disbelieving.  _What do I **do**?_

It seemed as if the gods had been listening, for at that moment, Mrs. Potter came out with a platter of muffins.  "Jamie? Sirius? I've got some muffins for you!"

Sirius grabbed the chance.  "MRS. POTTER! COME QUICK! JAMES—HE'S—I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED—" _Yes you do, you lying bastard, you pulled his broom out from under him. _ Muttered a nasty voice in the back of his head.  He ignored it.  "HE'S LYING HERE IN THE BUSHES—AND—" he didn't need to say more.  Mrs. Potter, her mousy brown hair flying back.  She had her son's sparkling sky-colored eyes, and her lips were shaped like a perfect rosebud. 

"What happened, Sirius? Here, help me lift him." With amazing strength for a woman of her stature, she lifted her fifteen-year-old son from the bushes. 

"We were fooling around, and he—" Sirius faltered, remembering his actions.  "He fell from his broom."

"Jesus.  I always tell him to not fly so fast… Here, help me pull off this shirt." She and Sirius slowly pried the shirt off, being wary of threads stuck to the fragmented skin.  James stirred lightly, and Celina Potter whipped out her wand.  "Stay still…" she muttered a couple words and waved her wand above her son's body.  Most of the scratches disappeared, but the deeper ones stayed as pale scars.  "That's the best we can do for now.  {insert lifting spell thingy here}."

Flitting her wand carefully, Celina walked back to the estate, Sirius in tow.  Finally, what felt like ages to the raven-haired troublemaker, they reached the parlor of the Potter home.  Mrs. Potter lay her son down on the sofa, wearing a grim expression.  She muttered something else, and his eyes fluttered open.  "Mum…Sirius...what happened? I was on my broom…then…" he looked puzzled.

"It's ok, darling.  You fell from your broom." 

"Oh.  But…"

Now Sirius spoke up.  "You're pretty battered there, mate.  Took a nice fall."

"Oh, shut your face."

"I'm serious!"

"And I'm James, but you're still a liar." 

"I ought to—" But Sirius was cut off by Mrs. Potter.

"Sirius, dear, I'd suggest you go home, at least for a while.  James did (unlike you're saying) take a very nasty fall there."

"MUM!"

"I'm sorry, but it's for the best."

"It's ok, Jamie.  I'll be back later, when you're…_recuperated._"

And with a quick goodbye to Mrs. Celina Potter and a smirk at his best friend, Sirius dashed from the house.

That Saturday night saw a quiet Remus sitting with his family at dinner.  The large French doors opened onto a wide veranda, a peaceful breeze causing the willows outdoors to wave slightly.  The sun was still setting over the French Riviera, a fiery red ball above the horizon.  Pink, violet, blue, orange, and a whole other plethora of colors streaked the twilight sky, making the landscape like a Monet painting. 

But Remus was sullen, and most certainly not at peace.  His golden-streaked brunet hair was unruly, not nearly to its usual standard.  In a voice much unlike his own, he gruffly asked to be excused.  His mother looked at him oddly.  The usual gleam that resided in his eyes was in hers, her hair slightly more golden than his.  "Of course, ma cherie." Rhea replied, worry etched not only in her beautiful facial features but also in her voice.

Remus scooted his chair out upon the hardwood floors, slight skid marks showing up on the pristine polish.  He threw his napkin down on the chair and stormed up the stairwell.  Rhea gave her husband and other son an odd look.  "Romulus, has he been like this all day?"

Rom shifted uncomfortably in his chair.  "Er…well…"

"Give your mother a straight answer."

Romulus gave his father a sharp look, one that he and Remus had perfected.  "Yes, he has."

Rhea's golden eyes turned to her husband.  "Should we go try and talk to him…?"

"I will." Rom spoke up, setting his napkin serenely next to his plate.  "Excuse me, s'il vous plait."

Following his twin whom he knew so well up the grand staircase, he stopped outside the mahogany door that led to Remus's room.  "Remmie?"

"_What?!_" Remus flung open the door and Rom was tempted to take a step back.  His brother looked so fierce.  There was an unmitigated fire in his eyes, looking like polished brass.  His face was flushed as if he'd run a mile.  "Oh, it's you.  Come in, then."

Romulus stepped inside his brother's room, looking at the contents.  It was so neat, so clean, so…_Remus._

"What's wrong?"

Remus scowled at the taller version of himself.  "Romulus, I don't see how that is any of your business." 

"As your twin brother, your flesh and blood, I make a point of making _everything_ my business.  So?"

"Look, Rom.  It's just…" Remus shifted uncomfortably.  "Some stuff, at school…"

"What _does_ go on at Hogwarts, anyway? You're lucky, you've got the 'White Bumblebee' as your headmaster.  We've got ole Madame Maxime…le giantess."

Remus laughed in spite of himself.  "Oh, what would she say if she heard you saying _that_?!"

"'I am just beeg-boned, zhat's all! Deetention, Romulus!'" Rom imitated, standing and flaunting about his brother's room.  "'Eef you say zhat one more time, I weel make sure you are _expelled!_'"

Remus fell back on his bed laughing, worries momentarily extinguished.  The sight of his taller brother skipping about his room and curtsying threw him into a fit of giggles. 

"Vhat ees so funny?! Vhat are you laughing at?!"

"Shut up, you great brute!"

Romulus put his hand to his chest.  "How _dare_ you accuse _me_ of being a _brute!_" he said, trilling his 'r' slightly. 

"She'd kill you for this, and I'm going to tell her about it, too!"

Rom gasped in mock horror.  "You wouldn't! Oh, please, my love," he grabbed his brother's hand and kissed it emphatically, moving his lips up Remus's arm like Gomez Addams would to Morticia.  "Spare me! Ne ditez pas, s'il vous plait!"

"While I am so _very_ flattered, I would ask that you keep your hands off me…**_brute._**"

Romulus fell backwards onto the Oriental rug, his eyes open in mock horror.  His head flopped to the side, tongue sticking out.  His hazel eyes shut, and he played the part of the dead lover so well Remus was encouraged to play along. 

Straddling his brother, Remus put his face very close.  He couldn't feel Rom's breath—very good actor, his twin was.  "Rommie?" he whispered, barely audible.  "You alive, love?"

Suddenly, Romulus's head snapped forward, his eyes popped open, and he kissed Remus hard on the lips.  "Gotcha, Rem."

"You brute! I was right! I knew it.  I knew you were up to something." Remus joked, pulling himself off his brother. 

"Ah, but _mon__ cherie…_"

"No buts, you idiot."

"What about this one?" Romulus, in a very acute display turned around and dropped his pants.

"YOU IMMATURE ARSE!"

"_My_ immature arse, you mean."

Remus rolled his eyes and shielded them.  "Please.  I've seen enough in my life without seeing _that_, too."

"Well, it's not like they're any different, you know, yours and mine." 

Remus threw a pillow at his twin.  "Mine's better."

"Oh, do you look at it often?" Rom asked, pulling up his trousers.

Remus blushed.  "No…"

"Oh _really_? I'm sure."

"You better be.  Listen, Rommie…"

"Yeah?"

"There is something."

"Excuse me?"

"You know, you asked me what was going on.  Well, there is something going on."

"Oh."

"I'm in love."

Romulus gave Remus an odd look, his hazel eyes inquisitive.  His brown hair, Remus's exact shade, was tousled, and Remus had to fight hard to keep down his erection.  "With?"

"Well—" Remus faltered.  Could he tell his brother who it was? _Could_ he, really? Would Romulus understand? "_He_ is one of my friends."

Remus, looking at the floor, heard a sharp intake of breath.  "He? Mum won't like that."

"I know she won't.  That's why I'm telling you.  But he doesn't know I like him.  He thinks we're just friends."

"Ah.  What's his name?"

Remus didn't know now whether he could tell him.  The Blacks were well-known as dark wizards, trying to make muggle-hunting legal and the like.  But Sirius was different.  He was in Gryffindor! Of course he could tell his twin; if he took it wrongly, that was his problem.  "Sirius Black."

Raising his perfectly crafted eyebrows, Romulus gave Remus a look—he thought his brother was insane.  "You're in love with a _Black_? But…they're…_dangerous._  And…aren't they all dark wizards?"

"He's not! He got sorted into Gryffindor, and the rest of his family was sorted into Slytherin.  He's different.  He's usually at James's, 'cause he hates his kin.  Refuses to acknowledge them, even."

"Hm.  Well, I guess if you love him…"

"Thanks.  But I don't know how to tell him.  I mean, I don't want to tell him and then he's too embarrassed to be my friend anymore." 

"Does he know?" Romulus asked quietly.

"Wha—of course he doesn't know! I just told you that I don't know how to tell him—"

"No, I mean…" he fiddled with the edge of the comforter on Remus's bed. "About your…lycanthropy, as it is."

"They all know, Rommie.  James, Peter, Sirius…Sirius figured it out, actually.  Can you promise to not tell anyone what I'm about to tell you?"

"Of course."

"Well, in our third year, Sirius figured it out.  James figured it out about a month later, and they both told Peter.  Well, it took them the rest of third year, fourth year, and about half of fifth…but the three of them became Animagi."

Romulus gawked.  "Three fifteen-year-olds became _Animagi__?! _That's…that's…nearly impossible!"

"James and Sirius are the two smartest boys in our year.  The only one who could outsmart the two of them is probably Lily Evans.  But either way, they became Animagi.  But Romulus, they did it for me at Sirius's suggestion.  We'll go around Hogsmeade on the full moon.  When I'm with them, it's like I'm less the wolf and more Remus.  I can keep myself contained, I don't bite or scratch myself—usually. 

"But Romulus, I don't know how I can tell Sirius that I miss him so much—"

Romulus cut him off.  "That's why you were jumping off the bridge?!"

"Yeah.  But—"

"You were jumping off the bridge into the fucking Riviera because you missed him."

"_Yes_.  But Rom—"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think you'd—"

"_You didn't think I'd understand?!_"

Remus looked down meekly.  When Romulus built up a head of steam, the best thing to do was be submissive.  "Yes."

"_YOU COULD HAVE JUST WRITTEN A LETTER TO HIM, OR TOLD ME, OR…OR…SOMETHING!__ REMUS, I DON'T—_" Now it was Romulus's turn to falter.  "I don't want you getting hurt."

"I know, Rommie.  I wasn't thinking straight.  I just missed him so much…and I'm so sick of mother coddling me all the time, expecting me to make a decent pureblood marriage to a decent girl _maybe_ when I'm old enough.  But she doesn't understand, she doesn't know what it's like to really be in love.  Her and father's marriage was arranged, and she likes him just fine, but she was never really in love with anyone." 

Slinging an arm around his brother, Romulus looked into eyes nearly identical to his own.  "I know."  He laid his head down on top of Remus's soft golden hair.  Rom sighed.  "I know.  Listen, I've got an idea."  He put his lips to Remus's ear and whispered something.  The smaller boy's gold-lit eyes brightened and he smiled.

A plan was in place.

fin ch. 1


	2. Chapter Two

Frivolous Pleasures

**Disclaimer: **All of these characters are © J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic, and Warner Bros. Entertainment.  Not me.  Therefore, I plead you not to sue me, as I am currently a…struggling artist, if you will.

**Author's Note:** I wrote this chapter driving away from Hell Sanibel Island, and it's going to be mainly from Sirius and Romulus's perspectives.  I might have a small bit of Remus's POV, but probably not.  Also, keep in mind my atrocious French.  In this chapter, there is twincest and a large amount of smut.  Beware. siria raine

Chapter Two

_So just give me one good reason_

_Tell me my I should stay_

_'Cause I don't want to waste another moment_

_Saying things we never meant to say…_

--michelle branch, _'breathe'_

Romulus sat at the foot of his bed, looking at his nicely packed trunk.  He dropped his head into his hands.  It had all worked out for Remus.  He had sent Sirius a letter, written in code, and Remus wasn't on the brink of suicide. 

But when that letter was sent, when Remus was gallivanting about the house as he usually did before school started again, Romulus became more and more sullen.  He stayed in his room, sulking and not eating.  Finally, on the day before they were set to go to their respective schools—Remus to Hogwarts and Romulus to Beauxbatons—Remus knocked on his brother's door.  Tenatively, he asked, "Rommie?"

"_What?!_" Rom replied, slightly more vindictive than he had meant to.

"I—I just wanted to see what was going on.  You've been really…apathetic and morose lately." 

"Nothing.  Did mum send you up or something?"

"No." Remus replied, an edge of offense on his voice.  "Of course not, don't be a moron."

Romulus chuckled, but the laugh did not reach his eyes.  "Come in, then."

Remus tentatively, still, stepped inside through the mahogany door.  He sat next to his brother, looking at him with worried eyes.  "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You're never this depressed, Rom.  I know you better than that.  The only time you were this sad, Uncle Jacques died."

"I can't tell you."

"Yes you can."

"No, I can't."

"Yes you can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Can't."

"Can."

"Are we just going to sit here and bicker?"

"Unless you tell me."

"Can't."

"Rommie…"

"_Can't._  Now will you _please_ drop it?"

"No."

Romulus sighed and started rummaging through his trunk for his wand.  "Do I have to curse you?"

A glint of mischief showed in the smaller boy's eyes as he pulled out his own wand.  "Are you challenging," He gave it a flick, and Romulus's mouth was taped shut.  "A prefect?"

"Mmph." Romulus replied, tearing off the tape.  "Fuck! Ow! You'll get your comeuppance."  With that, he brandished his own wand like a whip, conjuring a pair of handcuffs.  He gave it another flick—"_Expelliarmus__!"_—and Remus's wand clattered to the floor.  Before Romulus could come a step closer, Remus focused all his attention and focus upon his left hand as he pointed his finger at Romulus and triumphantly yelled, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

"HOLY SHIT!" Rom cried as he was lifted into the air, dropping his wand.  "THAT'S UNFAIR, REMMIE!"

"No it isn't.  I told you not to challenge the best prefect in his year." He picked up his brother's wand along with his own.  "Well, would you look at this.  I've got two wands!" Waving his hand, Romulus fell to the ground and started for him.  "_Stupefy,_" and Romulus was stopped in his tracks.

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"Fuck you."  Now it was Romulus's turn to use wandless magic.  "Accio wand."  The long wooden shaft soared towards him, and he caught it deftly.  "Now who's so good? Accio…handcuffs."  They soared towards him.  "Accio _Remus_."

Remus gave a yelp of surprise as he felt himself being pulled towards his brother.  Suddenly, he was in Rom's arms, and being dragged towards his brother's bed.  He knew what was going to happen, and thoughts of Sirius were pushed from his mind.  Laying on his stomach, the handcuffs were attached first to his right hand and the headboard, then a second pair on his left hand and the headboard.  His feet, however, were left alone.  He was already barefoot, and he felt his pants being tugged off.  He stifled a moan—his Dominant brother didn't like him to speak unless he was told to.  He felt his shirt_ ripping_ up his back and it was pulled off as well, leaving him with nothing but a pair of black silk boxers.  Romulus's arms were around him and then down the front of said boxers, caressing his erection with an almost gentle touch.  Then Remus knew it was too good to be true as he felt two leather rings slip down it and around the base, tightening.

_Charmed cock rings.  Wonderful._

He was straining with anticipation, swollen and nearly purple. 

"Shh, love." A long finger traced his jawbone, trailing down his back.  He felt a pair of soft lips at his ear, kissing and nipping at his lobes.  "What's your safe word?"

"Moonlight." Remus whispered, feeling Rom's hardness against his inner thighs.  He bucked up to it, but was held down.  He whimpered.

"Now, now.  We'll have none of that."  Remus felt the smooth silk of his boxers sliding down his legs and heard them rustle on the floor.  He gasped as a sharp slap was laid on his left cheek, then his right.  Again, harder.

Harder.  _Harder._He imagined his arse was rather red now, at least a rose tint to it.  But he didn't dare utter a sound—_he hadn't been told to_. 

"Is that good, precious?"

"Yes, master."

"Good…good.  Are you ready?"

"Yes, please…_please_…"

"What's your safe word?" Romulus breathed in his brother's ear. 

"**Moonlight**.  Please, Ro—"

"Excuse me?"

"Master.  Please, Master."

The Dom smiled.  "Very well."

"May I—"

"All you want."

Remus was breathing heavily, his cock straining against its constraints.  He wanted to come _so _badly…he was on the edge of an orgasm…but the goddamned rings were charmed and wouldn't come off…

He gave a gasp as he felt a cool sensation around his arse.  Romulus inserted one finger and Remus tried to buck up to _that_, even.  "No, no, no.  Not yet, precious." A second finger.

Remus was going to burst, he knew it.

Then Remus knew his brother was as hard as he was; he could tell.  He could just _tell_.  "Master…"

"Shh…"

Remus felt Romulus brushing his arsehole slightly—but that's all.  He bucked up harder than he had yet, and was _still_ held down.  He let out a moan.  "God, please! PLEASE!"

Rom slightly put in the head, then jerked out.  Farther in.  _Out again._  Then he was all the way in.  Remus let out a cry of mixed pain and pleasure as Romulus found his prostate.  He rubbed it slightly with the _very_ tip, and Remus screamed.  "HARDER!" He was bucking, writhing, calling his brother's name…

_The fucking rings.  The **fucking **cock rings._

Romulus lay in his brother for a moment more before pulling out his softening cock, and flipped Remus over.  He chuckled at Remus's expression.  He was slowly—_very_ slowly—softening, and that wouldn't do at all.  He removed the rings and stroked the vein underneath.  Remus let out a cry of pleasure, bucking up for the umpteenth time.  Straddling his smaller brother's thighs, he wrapped his tongue around the tip, tasting the pre-come in his mouth.  "Oh god, Romulus…"

"Yes, love?"

"I'm begging you…"

"That's always a good thing." Romulus pulled his younger brother into his mouth, nearly all the way—but not quite.  **Not quite**.  He wrapped his tongue around, pulling, jerking, caressing.  Remus was bucking up again—he had quite a habit of that, Romulus knew—and Romulus pulled the boy all the way into his mouth.  The head of his brother's penis was nearly down his throat, and Rom's tongue was still jerking and caressing when Remus came.  Sweet, hot seed flowed down Rom's throat, reminding him of all the times before.  He swallowed it and Remus moaned again.  He removed his mouth and looked up at his twin. 

"You were wonderful."

"My god…"

"What about me?"

Remus laughed, barely pulling up the breath to do so.  "You're _so_ fucking _amazing_, Rommie." 

"Why, thank you." Licking his lips, he crawled up so he was next to his brother and slipped his arm around his waist, nipping at his ear.  "It's been a pleasure."

"I expect it has, you tease." 

"Did you just call _me_ a tease?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, you'll have to be punished for that, my dear submissive." Romulus bit Remus's shoulder, not hard enough to draw blood—but hard enough to leave a mark. 

"You're still at it, then?"

"Of course I am.  I **never**, ever…" he drew his tongue around Remus's neck.  "_Stop._"

Remus threw his arm around his brother, rolling over to look him in the eye.  "Who said you could be so fucking _sexy_, Romulus?"

"I did.  Now get some sleep, or you'll be tired all day tomorrow." The submissive shut his eyes, as he was told, and smiled. 

"Yes, sir."

And the two slept.

Sirius looked out the grimy window, anxiety creasing his handsome features. 

_If James had died, it would have been **your** fault.  He fell, and was all cut up, and it **was** all your fault._

"I didn't mean to! It was the lighting and my depth perception was all messed up…I couldn't see that he was so far off the ground."

_Oh, but why did you lie to dear Mrs. Potter? _The sly voice in the back of his head asked.  _I wonder what the Potters will do when they find out what you did._

"I DIDN'T DO IT! NOT ON PURPOSE!"

_Oh, but didn't you? Haven't you been jealous of James ever since he made Quidditch Captain? Didn't you want that post so badly…you'd do anything for it…and if he was out of the way, you'd have free reign._

"Shut up, shut up, shut UP." Sirius muttered, and the blank portrait on the opposite wall sniggered.  "You too, Phineas."

The sniggering voice stopped.

_Oh, but I can't shut up.  After all, **I** am **you**._

"No you AREN'T.  You're a psychopathic weirdo that finds some perverse pleasure in making me think I'm crazy."

_Well, that would make you a **schizophrenic **psychopathic weirdo._

Sirius stood, glaring furiously into the corner where It sat, talking to him with that sly, nasty voice.  Its eyes gleamed nearly white from the dank darkness, a smile playing across its disgustingly thin lips. 

"I'm not crazy.  I know I'm not.  I didn't do it on purpose.  Shut up before I do you in!" he added as It began to cackle.  Sirius picked up a table lamp and pitched it into the corner.  _It_ disappeared as the lamp crashed into the wall, and reappeared behind him.  Its lips touched his ear, heavy, putrid breath on his cheek. 

_What are you going to do, Sirius? Kill me?_

And It disappeared when there was a rapping on the door.  "SIRIUS BLACK! WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?!"

Sirius sighed.  "Nothing, mum.  The lamp fell over."

"DON'T YOU LIE TO ME, BOY! WHO'S IN THERE?!"

Looking up to the ceiling, he wished his mother wasn't so drunk.  Her voice was slurred, and he could hear the Schnapps sloshing around in the bottle.  "Just me, mum."

"Better be.  Cause if you're hidin' someone in there…" she giggled stupidly, then screeched, "I'LL GET 'EM!" And she clomped down the stairs again.

"Stupid bitch."  He looked up at the calendar on the wall.  30 August, 1976. 

One more day.

And then he'd see Remus again. 

With a smile on his face, he began packing.  But it was too good to last; It showed up in less than a second.  _Aw, wittle Siwius **wuvs** someone!_

Rolling his eyes, Sirius turned to the man from his nightmares.  "What's it to you?"

It ignored his question.  _Oh, but does Remus love you back?_

Scuffing the floor with his worn trainers (his mother hated him wearing them, they were a symbol of muggle life), he looked up into Its face.  "I don't know."

_He doesn't.  You know he doesn't.  He values you as a friend, Siri.  That's all.  He wouldn't love a psychopathic weirdo.  And, to add insult to injury, he deserves better than the likes of you._

Ignoring It, Sirius turned to the empty stretch of canvas on the wall.  "You're wrong."

_Oh, so you think you're the best, don't you? Think you're **better** than everyone else?_

"No." Sirius replied defensively.  "I don't."  His eyes flashed, and he whirled around to face his nightmare.

_Liar. _It spat the word, as if it was poison.  _You know damn well you think you're superior to James—and the rest of the school, for that matter._

"I DON'T! I'M NOT! AND—AND—" he couldn't think, tears were pouring down his face.  "I'm not better."

_Oh, I know that.  **I** know you're no better than the most lowly muggle.  But in your puny little head, you are Sirius Black, King and Lord of the World._

"That's a lie."

_Is it? Well, I'll leave you to this, **Your Majesty.**_

And he disappeared again, leaving only memories and thoughts etched upon Sirius's memory.

Angrily throwing clothes haphazardly into his trunk, Sirius was shocked when his mother screeched from the hall, "SIRIUS! YOU'VE A LETTER! SOME TAWNY OWL BROUGHT IT, STUPID BIRD! CAME IN THROUGH MY PARLOUR WINDOW, GODDAMN IT! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR STUPID FRIENDS SENDING STUPID LETTERS INTO MY PARLOUR!" She continued screeching until Sirius reached the first floor.

"I'll take that, _mother_." He said maliciously, his smoky eyes flashing as he looked into the identical ones of his mother.  "Thank you."

A snicker in the corner attracted his attention.  "Master acts nice now, but Mistress doesn't hear him in his room, muttering about her…"

"Shut up, Kreacher." Sirius replied to the demented house-elf's whine.

"Yes, Master." Kreacher said, stooping to an amazingly low bow.  "Even though he isn't fit to wipe slime from Mistress's shoes... Would Mistress like another drink?"

Sirius seized the chance and ran upstairs with his letter. 

Finally looking at it, he laughed out loud with relief.

Sirius Black

12 Grimmauld Place

London, England

He had never been more glad to see Remus's handwriting.  Tearing it open, he was startled to see that it was blank.  Just a blank piece of parchment.

Then a smirk slowly crept across his face.  That would be just like Remus, to put in a code word in a letter.  But what was it? Sirius tried the obvious, tapping the paper with his recently procured wand.  "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

Nothing.

"Er…Hogsmeade."

Nothing.

"Lemon drop? Sugar Quill? Cockroach Cluster?"

Still nothing.

"Lycanthropy? Marauders? The Marauders' Map? Cannes? Remus? Sirius? Er…France? England? Hogwarts? Beauxbatons? Lupin? Werewolf?"

_Still _nothing.  Sirius was getting restless. 

"Erm…" he thought some more, lines furrowing into his brow.  "Moonlight?"

And from there, words blossomed from the point his wand touched the parchment.  "HAH!" Sirius triumphantly laughed.  He began to read quietly.

_Dear Sirius,_

_It's been so boring here in __Cannes__ without you.  The __Riviera__ is nice, and the breeze is lovely.  __Romulus__ is being pesky as usual, and is constantly reminding me of you.  Over by our summerhouse is a portion of the French __Riviera__—blocked by a rather tall stone fence.  To keep me out, I suppose.  But I digress._

_The other day, I was thinking of you, and James, and Hogwarts, and I missed it all terribly.  _

_I tried to jump, Sirius.  Luckily, __Romulus__ was there to catch me, but I so desperately wished it was you who had come and stopped me, who had put your arms around my waist and guided me down to the ground.  _

_Thank God school starts soon.  I don't know what I'll do if I don't get to see your face soon, hear your voice, see you out there with that ridiculous beater's club on the Quidditch pitch.  _

Sirius laughed and read on.

            _Since I met you on the Hogwarts Express on the first day of our first year I knew I loved you.  Your laugh, your eyes—those are so beautiful when they twinkle mischievously—your face, your body, your personality.  All of you, I fell in love with.  I'll understand if you don't want to ever talk to me after this.  I wouldn't want to look at me, either.  But I knew that if I never told you, we'd end up going our own separate ways, and never would have a chance.  Whenever you were near me, I felt a wonderful sense of dedication, of love; you were mine, even for a second.  _

_            When you looked at me, it was as if my heart was lifted into my throat.  I couldn't breathe, couldn't speak.  You were the boy—then the man—that I loved, that I love still.  _

_            I miss you so, Sirius.  I'll stop now, before you think I'm crazy.  If you don't want to see me again, I'll understand.  But please, consider what I've written._

_            I love you._

_Yours Truly,_

_Remus Lupin_

Sirius's heart was thumping madly in his chest.  _Remus loved him, 'It' was wrong, Remus **loved** him.  _

Miracles did happen. 

And the first day of Year Six never seemed so far away.  One day was far too long.

fin ch. 2


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